PNP: 4 cops linked to Barayuga slay relieved from posts

Four cops who have been linked to the killing of PCSO Board Secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020 have been relieved from their posts, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.

PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo identified them as Police Lieutenant Colonel Santie Mendoza, Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo Jr., Police Colonel Roland Vilela, and Police Senior Master Sergeant Jeremy Causapin.

“Bale apat na po yung nai-relieve na PNP personnel [at under restrictive custody] sa Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit] po pending investigation po,” Fajardo said in a press briefing.

(There are four relieved PNP personnel [and under restrictive custody] in the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit pending investigation.)

Mendoza and Grijaldo were assigned at PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), Villela at the PNP Information Technology Management Service (ITMS), and Causapin at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Fajardo said.

At the hearing of the House of Representatives Quad Committee into extrajudicial killings, Mendoza accused ex-PCSO General Manager Royina Garma and National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo of ordering the killing.

The probe into Barayuga's killing was first made under former Mandaluyong Police Station chief Grijaldo, who was a former classmate of Garma and Leonardo at the PNP Academy, according to a report of Jun Veneracion on 24 Oras on Thursday.

According to the same report, the case failed to prosper and was transferred to the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Meanwhile during the hearings, the names of Villela and Causapin were mentioned.

“May sinasabi na involvement po niya (Villela) kay GM Garma dahil sila po ay naging mag-asawa before at may mga revelation during QuadComm na hindi natin pupuwedeng balewalain dahil these are serious allegations. It involves money transfer,” Fajardo said.

(Some say that Villela is involved with GM Garma because they were married before and there were revelations during QuadComm that we cannot ignore because these are serious allegations. It involves money transfer.)

“Yung isa pa pong nabanggit na pangalan ay si Sergeant Jeremy Causapin na diumano na siya yung nagbigay ng P300,000 dito kay Nelson Mariano,” she added.

(The other name mentioned is Sergeant Jeremy Causapin who allegedly gave P300,000 to Nelson Mariano.)

Mariano was the one who allegedly hired a gunman, according to Mendoza.

Mendoza, Grijaldo, and Villela are under restrictive custody. The PNP is still searching for Causapin who has already filed a resignation letter.

Barayuga was fatally shot in broad daylight in Mandaluyong City by an unidentified gunman on board a motorcycle in July 2020. CCTV footage showed the gunman riding beside the official government vehicle and shooting the PCSO official through the passenger side window. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News